Reaper's Purgatory-Chapter 33: My Path

The large stone maze rose from its foundations, ash spilling from every crevice within.

The demon women, Annabelle, watched with a distinct annoyance, watching as the maze itself reformed into its true form.

She then smirked and hid a chuckle. "I guess that women got on Dragerd nerves. It's what she deserves. At least it won't be long until me and Cider will be reunited."

The stone maze gained a full body complete with Dragerd's ugly mug on full display. He smiled, seeing himself as victorious. But suddenly a large red blade stabbed out from beneath his skin.

he glanced down, shocked. "What the-"

Before he could react, he was sliced from the inside multiple times until two people busted through him and jumped into the dunes of purgatory.

"Impossible!!" Dragerd exclaimed.

Annabelle, who watched this, was just as stunned. "No way..."

Megumi and Dino dusted themselves off. "That was close!" Megumi said. "I didn't think my Scythe would actually cut through for a second. But what do we do now!"

Megumi Looked back up at the large Skyscraper-like demon that now towered over them. It was much too similar to the one that K had defeated in Gondola. Only, Dragerd was so much bigger.

"H-he's so big!"

"We have to keep fighting." Dino Raised his combat knife. "If we don't, everyone in him will die."

As Dino said this, Megumi thought back to Kailey. She regained her determination at that Moment. "Y-you're right."

Doubt crept back into her mind with her hands trembling. All she could see was a one-sided battle. After all, how could someone so small beat a large demon of that size.

"[Now things are getting interesting.]" Dark Megumi said.

"Huh?"

"Megumi!" Dino called. "Focus!"

Dragerd, with his fist raised, hurtled it towards Megumi and Dino. "DIE!!!"

"Use your scythe!" Dino exclaimed.

"But how-" Megumi's was interrupted as she caught a glimpse of a hand, reaching out from the back of her wrist, only to combine with her hand. And as if she was being guided, she swerved her scythe, cutting through Dragerd stone fist, to her own shock.

Dino held his arm up, bracing against the small rubble that pelted both him and Megumi. Soon as they watched Dragerd reel his arm back, Dark Megumi spoke up once more.

"[This fight is too exciting for me to ignore. Let me take point.]"

Megumi could sense that the dark counterpart was practically foaming at the mouth in excitement. She clenched her teeth, vehemently refusing to let this dark counterpart within her, take control.

Dino could only glance back at Megumi in confusion, seeing that she was seemingly talking to no one. Megumi ignored his gaze, instead she focuses preparing to go on the offensive.

Dragerd held his fist up and watched as it reverted back to normal. He then slung his fists back at the two with a fury, forcing them to separate. Both raced to reach his feet knowing full well that they had to face him head on. Although it was much easier said than done.

Strange white demons rose from the ash of the dunes, starting to attack with swords and other weapons.

Dino slashed through the first few and moved past the other that swung to kill.

Megumi on the other hand, paused and faced these demons head on. "Get out of my way!" She swung and swerved at the scythe around, with much more ease than expected.

"[Don't waste your time with the small fry. Not when you have a demon as big as him standing above you. I could have this fight finished in a minute through. All you have to do is relinquish control.]"

"Shut up!" Megumi shouted. "I won't let you have control! I won't let you kill anyone you want!"

Megumi's final swing sent forth a wave of energy cutting through another horde of demons before her.

"Watch out!" Dino warned.

Megumi looked up, seeing Dragerd, pelting his first straight at her. "C-crap!"

An exasperated sigh came from Megumi's dark counterpart. A strange feeling then came from her legs. Before she realized it, a burst of power surged from her legs, pushing her fast through the ashy dunes.

She nearly avoided getting crushed but found herself surrounded by more demons. A red pulse of energy exploded from her very being, pushing back the demons around her.

"W-wait h-how did I-"

"[You know, you're really tiring to keep alive.]"

Megumi looked on more dumbfounded by her dark counterpart's words. "Wa- wait? Don't you want me to die?"

"[That would be the easiest for me, yes, but then I'd have to wait an hour before we can regain our body. Not that I'm against that Idea.]"

Suddenly, Megumi's shoulder was grabbed, and she looked to the side to find that dark Megumi was pulling herself into Megumi's view. "But this Demon has thousands- No! Millions of souls ripe for the picking if we kill him! So let me fight him!"

"N-no!!"

The Dark Megumi faded out in a dark mist, Leaving Megumi's heart to race even faster than it had before. "You- You really are a demon aren't you."

"[Heh. Keep thinking that.]"

Megumi glanced back at Dino, seeing that his full attention was on getting to Dragerd. But at the Rate they were going, they wouldn't even reach him if they kept running at him.

An explosion rang out from Dragerd fist nearly hitting Dino, but like the other times before, Dino dodged. At that moment, an idea struck Megumi.

"Dino!" Megumi echoed.

"What is it?" Dino questioned.

"I think I have an idea. We have to get to Dragerd, right?"

"Obviously, why?"

"W-what if we ran up his arms, wouldn't that be easier?"

Dino blurted a chuckle, "You know what I think that's a great idea. Can't believe I didn't think of that myself. Get ready!! Here he comes again!"

Dragerd, this time, pelted his fist straight into the dunes and hurled his huge fist straight at Megumi and Dino. With Expert precision, Dino dodged and stabbed the side of the huge fist.

Megumi, seeing this, Copied Dino, stabbing her scythe straight into Dragerd's hand.

"You brats!!" Drager Roared. His very voice boomed, shaking the world itself.

Dino, seeing the opportunity, climbed up with Megumi not too far behind, and ran straight to the body. His arms curled and twisted, making Dragerd's move more unpredictable.

As his arms waved around, more slime demons crept out from his skin. "Tch! We don't have time for these things!" Dino Skid to a stop, placing his hands on the ground. "Crystal wonderland!"

Crystal erupted everywhere with some piercing the demons. Seeing that his crystals were dissolving fast, He grabbed Megumi's hand and teleported them through the crystals at a blinding speed.

Dragerd's other hand soon came into play as it attempted to swat Megumi and Dino from his arm. It crashed hard, killing the demons that crept up to fight Megumi and Dino, but missed his true targets by a hair.

"We're almost there!" Dino shouted.

"Alright but how do we kill him!?" Megumi retorted. Her heart seemed to be going a million miles an hour and she tried to keep her eyes up.

"It's like I said before. We destroyed his core, and we killed him! And his core will be at his neck."

"But how do you know that for sure!?" she questioned.

"Just trust me! I know."

"[It's because of two things.]" Dark Megumi spoke up, garnering Megumi's attention. "[Demons and humans alike have the tendency to see their deaths occurring in three places. The heart. The Brain. And the neck. The other is because of the sheer power coming from the base of his neck.]"

"Why is she telling me this?"

"[Isn't it obvious? I want to see this demon die.]"

As confused as Megumi was, she continued onward behind Dino.

Unexpected, as they got closer to his shoulder, Stone walls and spikes erupted from his arm.

"You think you could win against me!? Not in a million years!"

Megumi and Dino were forces to dodge through spikes only to be met with the stone hands again. "Damn it! He doesn't let up!"

Dino Crystalized his knife, making it longer. Het then moved to defend himself and Megumi from the onslaught of hands that stretched and reached out for them.

A slashed thought the first few, then several more, only to be grabbed by the waist and lugged away from the arm.

"Dino!"

Dino Placed his arm on the stone hand holding him. "C- Crystal Wonder- Gah!"

The hand crushed him! He wretched trying to ink on the words again but was prevented. The hand hurled him straight into an opened hole inside of Dragerd, trapping him!

"No!!"

Megumi, with no time to relax, was made to dodge the hands and spike again. Soon more walls erupted around in an attempt to trap her too.

Not wanting to follow the same fate, she slashed and cut her way through all the attacks she could. She fought long and hard, trying to fight her way, inch by inch. Not wanting to give up.

But it wasn't long until she was surrounded on all sides with demons of every creed around her. They stood by as if knowing she wouldn't do anything.

Megumi could only stand with her arms slumped. Exhausted from swinging around the large scythe. She tried hard to catch her breath, knowing that she could be killed at any point.

She looked up seeing that a large spike was whirling in the air, ready to strike. Her vision started to become hazier, and she even wobbled trying to keep her balance.

"[So. Is this how you wanted it to end?]"

"Good... very good!" Drager brought his large face to Megumi, looking straight at her with his large eyes. "Not many people are ballsy enough to take me on in my true form." His grin became much wider as several more spikes whirled around Megumi, now surrounding her.

"I'll give you one last chance. Become a demon and serve under the sin of rage with me as my equal. Otherwise. I'll eat your soul and make your power mines."

There is a brief moment of silence as Dragerd awaits Megumi's answer. Megumi pursed her lips and gave her answer.

"Never! I don't want to become some mindless demon that kills people for fun or pleasure! I don't want to kill anyone at all!"

Megumi's eyes sharpened, with her red eyes becoming much brighter. "I've already chosen the path I'll take..." Megumi rose her scythe back up in defiance.

"That's why I'll become a reaper!"

Megumi's entire being seemed to become revitalized with streaks of red aura emanating from her.

"Then you have chosen death." Dragerd said with Finality.

The spiked shot at Megumi hitting her. But to both her and Dragerd's shock, the spikes shattered. A blue barrier made its presence clear again.

"Kailey?"

Megumi's demeanor shifted, becoming more serious. "That's right, She sacrificed herself for me. And it's time I repaid the favor!"

Megumi bolted past the demons blocking her way, Pushing them away in droves. "As long as I take out Dragerd, Then the other reapers will be able to help."

Dragerd quickly used his other hand to stop Megumi, only for her to stop and slice his hand off!

Seeing the spikes and stone hands coming to attack, she pressed on, dodging and weaving through the attacks the best she could. With the Newly acquired blue barrier, Megumi was able to push through many of the other attacks that struck her.

"[Not bad for a novice. Heh. As much as I would like to do it myself, I'll reward you with a little gift for making this fight, mildly entertaining.]"

A burst of energy swelled even more from Megumi, her hair started to mist, becoming a crimson and scarlet red.

"[I'll also share a little bit of knowledge of a special little attack you can do with our scythe. I like to call it 'Instant Death'.]"

As much as Megumi wanted to question her Dark counterpart, she knew there was no time as large walls erupted from the arm, keeping her from reaching the shoulder.

"[Ehehehe. Looks like you won.]" For a second, Megumi could see her dark counterpart smirking smugly at her. "He's just a leap away from true death."

As if her hands and feet were being guided by some innate instinct, she ran off the edge of the arm, straight towards Dragerd's large neck.

"What a fool!" He spoke.

A flash sparked in Megumi's eyes. "Instant Death!"

Her entire body propelled straight past and through Dragerd's neck, a trace of an arc left behind from the scythe.

"Huh?" Dragerd was left in disbelief, looking around for where Megumi went. All the while she crashed down to the dunes of ash loudly.

Megumi lifted herself from the ashes, with her hair returning to normal. She turned around. Watching as Dragerd slowly crumbled away.

"No...." He looked at his arms shocked. As his arms turned to pebbles. "NOOO!! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!! THIS CAN'T BE!!"

Dragerd looked around frantically until he spotted Megumi. "How. How DARE YOU!"

He reached out his arms and fell to his knees. And by the time he was able to touch Megumi, her completely crumbled away and a burst of unfathomable energy erupted.

A blast of blue light filled the skies, leaving Megumi in awe. She watched as this light blue light shrank and shrank until a blue bolt of lightning struck the very center, forcing her to shield her eyes.

As she glanced back, she saw that the lightning was still there. It was like one of those rifts K had spoken about when she first arrived in Purgatory.

Soon after Dino along with Cider, Liang and the others emerged from the mountain of pebbles left behind.

Cider races to the top where he spotted Megumi. With excitement, he waved. "Megumi!" He called.

Megumi glanced up seeing Cider, then Dino arrived at the top too where he sighed and gave a thumbs up to Megumi. She smiled seeing the two.

A thought then crossed her mind. "Kailey."

She got up, racing to the pile of pebbles, within, she could see that there were a few white cores sprinkled throughout the rubble. "If these were inside of Dragerd then that means-"

Megumi looked around furiously With Cider to check on Megumi. "Megumi, are you alright? What happened?"

"Kailey. She's in here somewhere."

"Kailey?" Cider cocked his head vaguely remembering her.

"She's the woman that helped me back in Gondola and when I was in that maze. She Sacrificed herself So i could escape too. She's here somewhere. I know it!"

Dino joined in the conversation, seeing that Megumi was searching through rubble. "I'm sorry Megumi. But... I don't think we'll find whoever you're looking for in here. It's best to leave it alone and let the reapers take over from here."

"But I..." Megumi looked down with a hint of sorrow.

"[He's right, you know. There's no point in wasting your time looking for that women.]"

"But... There's so many. How would they know which one is her?"

"[They wouldn't. It would probably take them about five, maybe twenty years to sort through all these cores. But we could probably find her very easily...]" There was a hint of smugness within Dark Megumi's voice. It was clear that she had some ulterior motives.

"What's the catch?" Megumi asked.

"[Hmmm... I don't know. Perhaps we could do something that's mutually beneficial for both of us. Seeing that you plan on being a reaper that is.]"

Megumi watched as time seemed to have freeze all around her. Not long after Dark Megumi made her presence known again, smiling with content. "And what is that?"

********

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

Soon time returned to normal with Dino approaching to urge Megumi to follow him and cider back to Liang. Unexpectedly, Megumi stood back up fast. And she ran up into the certain direction.

Dino and Cider chased after urging for her to wait. Megumi ignored them, huffing and puffing her way up and down through the mountain of pebbles left behind until she found a certain spot. "Here."

She immediately began to dig fast, forcing Dino and Cider to watch until she stopped. She reached in with both hands and slowly pulled out a white core that was surrounded with a blue barrier.

Megumi laughed. "Thank goodness..." she laughed more, smiling more fondly at the barrier itself. "I guess I was worried for nothing after all..."

Liang watched Megumi from a distance, as she slowly fell unconscious in front of her two friends. He smirked as he turned away. "You really are full of surprises, Megumi."

Liang sighed and looked up into the sky with a smile. "Definitely brings back memories of the good ole days."